Learn Japanese from Yoda

"The lesson begins with an explanation of “This is a pen.” This sentence seems innocent enough, but really, it’s so full of depth that it’s astounding (or not, really). Most Japanese know this English phrase (”This is a Pen”) and wonder why it’s one of the first things they learn. Sure, it’s a dumb phrase, but if you can say “This is a pen” then you can say “This is a computer,” or “This is stupid” or (with a little bit of tweaking) “This was a pen” or “This wasn’t a monkey.” It’s the foundation of grammar, and since Japanese people have to suffer through it, then you should too. Hopefully Yoda makes it more fun and interesting.

Instead of “This is a pen” we’re going to learn “it is a pen.” This phrase is a lot simpler, and builds you up to “This is a pen.” First, let’s look at the vocab we’ll need in order to say “it is a pen.”

Pen: Pen
It is: Desu (pronounced dess)

Now, let’s go back to Yoda. How would he say “It is a pen?” That’s right, he’d say “Pen it is.” The same goes for Japanese. If you just took the vocab from the above, how would you say “it is a pen” in Japanese, using Yoda grammar?

English: It is a pen
Yoda: Pen it is
Japanese: Pen desu

You can replace “Pen” with anything you want now! “Neko desu” (it is a cat). “Inu desu” (it is a dog). You’re only limited now by vocabulary, which is easy to look up. This pattern applies to past, negative, and past negative tense as well."

Brilliant bit of information there, DS. Now if only I could pronounce Japanese correctly. As it is, I'm just pronouncing it as read. I would have said "desu" was called "de-soo" instead of "dess".

I should share this with my niece. She loves all things Japanese.

"In an age of fads, copycats, and rapidly changing trends, you have chosen to stand out from the rest and be an individual. We applaud your courage and self-expression. Thanks for being a part of our show today. Don't ever change. The world needs more people with your spirit." - The Citizens of Hollywood